Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-09-02
ABNORMAL MENTALITY.
Geniuses the Result OF an Unusual M
chRnlenl StrnnIn nrn of the Nrnln

ABNORMAL MENTALITY.
Geniuses the Result OF an Unusual Mo-
chRnicai Structure OF the Brain.
There is little doubt that we regard
mnny persons as insane who have an
abnormal development of mental pow
ers, owing to the unusual mechanical
structure and arrangement of certain
parts OF the brain; in other words, the
mind is not evenly developed and does
not work harmoniously in all its parts.
A wcll-balanced brain would make n
good average manly no means n re-
markable one. Persons with uncvonly-
developed brains may bo classed from
geniusos to idiots. leaving long
space between for tho great variety of
cranks, constitutional fools and knayes,
of which the world has been full since
records of mans folly have been tabu-
lated. Were it not for tho mental de-
formity of the human race,
there would be as little variety mani
fest in mans social relations
as there is between herds of cattle and
swine, or nocks of sheep or geese. II
We examine The brain (and al! that
pertains to its funciions) in the lower
animals there is great samencss Of
weight. form and structure, each after
its kind all blackbirds' brains are
alike; the rabbits do not differ from
one another to any great degree; in
foxes and dogs little more variation
may be observed.
When comparative anatomy shows
that in any one kind of the lower ami
mails there are individual differences of
structure Of the brain, then we notice
also that peculiarities of action make
well-obseryed distinctions. or produce
character There Is but little charac-
ter manifest in individual robins,
geese ra bbts or sheep, butin dogs and
horses, the most common observer de-
tects the various grades of smartness
or stupidity. There probably has been
time in the worlds history when
men were SO exactly alike in
structure that they thought alike
and acted alike; it was whom men
lived in tribes and were moved by u
chief or leader that leader being, per-
haps, the only one with any individu-
ality. Many Of the qualities of the
human mind which becomes distin-
gushing features of the individual
arise from purely accidental causes.
A fall or blow upon the head in child
hood may frequently derange the ac-
tion of part of the brain in such y
way as to mark the adult life of the
individual with unwonted brilliancy or
unlook,d-ior stupidity. a boy, with
no tendency from parcntage to mental
ability, or TO be different from his
rather stupid brothers and sisters, by
an accident loses tho use Of his legs
and becomes cripple for life. The
lack of general muscular development
turns the current of blood to feed his
brain. and he develops into scholar
and writer Of renown, mechanical
genius or a poet A stupid boy, who
could never learn the multiplication
table, was kicked by a horse, and after
somo weeks of Inconsistencies re-
covered his health. and remarkable
mathematical alb lily was Immediately
developed. making him superior to all
in that same class whore so long he
held tho position most inferior.
Many instances in our insane hos
pilal show where mcn-and women,
too-who where kind. considcrate, up
right and pure in their habits and LAM
gauge have. from slight injury of the
brain become quarrolsome, dangerous,
dishonest and impure in speech and
action. The experimental physiolog7
ist frequently produces epilepsy IN
lower animals to ILLUSTRATE certain
functions of the brain. The animals
become crlcptic, and the same Is
transmlttcd TO their progeny, Great,
ing m ppileptic race. Aud thus an
.ocldent which may sharpen the wits
Of Ounce may likewise darken tho
brilliancy of born genius Like tho
epilepsy produced by experiment, the
accidentally induced stupidity will be
handed down through the descendants.
Thus nature provides for that variety
aud scope Of mental power which
distinguishes man from all othor
animals. There are unthinking
persons who are always worrying
about the geniuses, cranks, or the weak
minded people who occupy so much OF
the worlds attention. But We must
remember that few of them could be
otherwise. and all of them serve good
purpose in life. All the various types
of religious enthusiasm which the
world has known have had a general
tendency to good, but none of their
leaders could have escaped the re-
straints Of a hospital for the insane il
the two justices o. the peace and two
NJ. Ds., of which the average lunaeY
commission is composed, lad examined
them. All the great Inventions and
scientific discoveries may be traced tn
their origin in the se-called crank oil
lobbyist, and our best poetry to men
SO eccentric that they would find their
disease marked in the nomenclature Of
insanity. w B. Fletcher, AZ. d., IN IN
didnapolis Journal.